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Coast Guard suspends search for Louisiana man who disappeared from cruise ship in Gulf
UPDATE: The Coast Guard announced Thursday it was suspending its search for Tyler Barnett. Read the full announcement below.
The Coast Guard suspended the search Thursday for a missing 28-year-old man who went overboard from the Carnival Glory cruise ship approximately 30 miles southwest of Southwest Pass, Louisiana.
Missing is Tyler Barnett.
Coast Guard crews searched approximately 5,625 square miles, roughly larger than the size of Connecticut.
Coast Guard Sector New Orleans watchstanders received a report around 12:40 p.m. Monday from Carnival Cruise Line that they had an unaccounted-for passenger. Carnival reported he was last seen on security camera at approximately midnight Monday. Carnival reported Tuesday that they had discovered new security footage that showed a passenger going overboard early Monday morning.
Coast Guard District Eight watchstanders launched aircrews to conduct search and rescue efforts from the air and transmitted urgent marine information broadcasts and messages to commercial and recreational mariners operating in the Gulf of Mexico.
Weather conditions presented challenges for aircrews and included sustained 8-foot to 12-foot seas, limited visibility, and gale force winds during the active search efforts.
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“The Coast Guard launched multiple search and rescue assets as soon as we were notified of a missing passenger from the Carnival Glory,” said Lt. Cmdr. Sean DiGeorge, Coast Guard District Eight search and rescue mission coordinator. “Our crews battled severe weather conditions for multiple days and made every effort to find Mr. Barnett. Suspending an active search is never a decision we make lightly, and we offer our most sincere condolences to Mr. Barnett’s family and friends.”
Coast Guard assets involved in the search included:
-HC-130 Hercules aircrews from Air Station Clearwater, Florida
-HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrews from Aviation Training Center Mobile, Alabama
-MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew from Air Station New Orleans
The incident is under Coast Guard investigation.
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NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. Coast Guard is searching the Gulf of Mexico for a man believed to have gone overboard from a cruise ship off the coast of Louisiana.
WWL-TV reports the missing Tyler Barnett of Houma was last seen by his family Sunday night, shortly before midnight. The Carnival Glory cruise ship had departed from New Orleans earlier that same day.
“After the crew of the cruise ship could not locate him aboard the vessel, the Coast Guard launched an H144 aircraft from Mobile, Alabama and a C130 aircraft from St Petersburg, FL and searched for the unaccounted for and missing passenger,” a Coast Guard spokesperson said.
Barnett's family told WWL-TV that his passenger card was swiped at the onboard casino around 12:15 a.m. and then again at his room at 12:27 a.m., though his bed appeared to be untouched.
Cruise staff began searching the vessel around 7:30 a.m. Monday morning, and the Coast Guard was called in around 1 p.m. that same day.
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